Sunday, November 8, 1998 Published at 23:16 GMTUKEverest pioneer diesLord Hunt: "A very, very great man" says Sir Ranulph FiennesLord Hunt, who led the first team to climb Mount Everest, has died aged 88.

He died peacefully at home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Saturday surrounded by members of his family.

John Hunt led the 1953 Everest expedition and, although he did not reach the summit, his planning allowed Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain.

Mount Everest: Lord Hunt organised the expedition which first climbed the mountain

A brigadier with a distinguished Army career, he was knighted a month later for his part in the triumph.

He also played a prominent role in public life, holding a series of high-profile posts.

In 1956 he retired from the Army to become the first Director of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and was given a life peerage - as Baron Hunt of Llanfair Waterdine - in 1966.

He went on to become first Chairman of the Parole Board and headed successive government relief missions to Biafra during the Nigerian civil war.

He leaves a wife, former tennis player Lady Joy, and four daughters.

Tribute from the Queen

News of the success on Everest reached the UK on the day of Princess Elizabeth's coronation and both events were morale boosters for Britons enduring the grim post-war era.

The Queen is "saddened" by Lord Hunt's death

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh spoke of their sadness at his death.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "The conquest of Everest was an early landmark of the Queen's reign and Lord Hunt brought the same spirit of adventure and leadership to many other areas of national life.

"As the first director of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, he particularly helped and encouraged young people in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth."

Emlyn Jones, who was on the 1953 Everest expedition, said Lord Hunt overcame initial suspicion after he beat the respected mountaineer Eric Shipley to lead the mission.

'A great organiser'

Mr Jones said: "He was a great man, a great administrator and very good at organising
people.

"He was able to build a very strong happy team and although one or two were unhappy when he was first appointed, he proved to be an absolutely outstanding
mountaineer."